Kandahar residents protest Pakistan's air strikes on Afghan territory

Dozens of residents of the southern province of Kandahar staged protests in reaction to recent Pakistani attacks on Afghan territory, Tolo News reported.

On April 16, the Pakistani military carried out airstrikes on the Spiri area of Khost province and also targeted the Shiltan district of Kunar province with shelling.

"No one takes action. We call on the Islamic Emirate to give a strong response to Pakistan," a protestor said.

Previously residents of southeastern Khost and eastern Nangarhar provinces held rallies to protest the attacks.

Afghan diplomatic missions run by former government officials in a joint statement condemned Pakistan's airstrikes on Afghan soil and asked the UN Security Council to take action against Pakistan, the report said.

"The Pakistan airstrikes on Afghanistan are obvious acts of aggression and a crime against humanity -- in which civilians and innocent people were targeted. It underestimates the Taliban as well," said Noorullah Raghi, a former diplomat.

However, the Islamic Emirate said that the issue will be pursued through diplomatic channels.

"We will defend our soil and will not allow such actions to happen again, and we should find a diplomatic solution to this," said Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid.

The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Pakistan territory is being attacked by "terrorists" harboured along the Durand Line.

But the Islamic emirate denied this and said that Afghan territory is not being used against any other country.